In response to a citizen’s complaint the Grand Jury investigated
the East Palo Alto Police Department (EPAPD) with a focus on the department’s
efforts to improve its performance, personnel, disciplinary and training
practices in accordance with recommendations from PSComm, a police management
consulting firm engaged by the City of East Palo Alto in July 2000.

The Grand Jury noted these key findings:

Violent crime continues
to be a problem in East Palo Alto.
The crime rate in East Palo Alto is a primary issue of the citizens who
have voiced their concern in the past to the local press blaming the Chief
of Police’s inability to effectively manage the department and appropriately
discipline his staff. East Palo Alto led all cities in the County in the
number of homicides and robberies in 2002, and in 2003 reached its highest
homicide level since 1997.

Many police department improvement recommendations
from the consultant are still not implemented.
If the City Council and the Police Chief had been more diligent in implementing
all of the PSComm recommendations from July 2000, it is likely the department
would have been better equipped to control the escalating crime level.

The quality of the force remains questionable.
The EPAPD must upgrade the qualifications of its present personnel. The
Police Chief continues to hire officers who have been discharged from
other law enforcement agencies. Nearly half of the force has lapsed in
meeting Continuing Professional Training (CPT) ongoing requirements in
the last five years; all but one have failed to meet the CPT specific
course requirements mandated as of January 1, 2002; 25% of the force has
not received basic certification; and management seems uninterested in
enforcing training standards. Mentoring and management staff development
in general is neglected.

The leadership of EPAPD does not enforce policies consistently.
An officer of EPAPD continues to work at headquarters while under felony
indictment in Santa Clara County for activities prior to being employed
by EPAPD. Objections from the community to the Police Chief's decision
to keep this officer on-the-job were reported in the local press. This
action raises the question whether another accused officer could have
a reasonable expectation of similar treatment. However, the Police Chief
handled a subsequent disciplinary matter quite differently by placing
an officer on paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal
investigation of inappropriate police behavior.

A leadership succession plan is not being followed.
The consultant recommended in 2000 that immediate attention be given to
creating and filling a Captain's position. The Grand Jury learned no job
description or requisition has been developed for a Captain's position
and that the City intends to hire a Human Resources Director before hiring
a Police Captain. The City Council's priority to hire a Human Resources
Director before hiring a Police Captain does not serve the best interests
of public safety.

Overview of Recommendations:

The City Council should aggressively seek qualified
candidates for the budgeted Police Captain's position and fill it within
90 days with someone who has demonstrated leadership and motivational
skills, and has potential to succeed the current Police Chief.

The City Council should immediately enforce policies
for timely performance evaluations, timely completion of training requirements,
and initiate a professional development program for all employees of
the East Palo Alto Police Department.

The City Council should ensure that adequate
financial resources and staff are allocated to enable the East Palo
Alto Police Department to implement fully the recommendations of the
organizational assessment provided by PSComm, LLC/Joseph Brann and Associates,
LLC (Attachment A of the full report); report the current status to
the Grand Jury by August 1, 2004; and require the Police Chief to report
status to the City Council quarterly.

The City Council should hold the Police Chief
accountable for implementation of the recommendations on Attachment
A; his decisions and actions; and reflect his progress in an annual
performance evaluation properly recorded in his personnel record.

By December 31, 2004 the City Council should
take appropriate disciplinary action if the Police Chief does not make
substantial progress in implementing the recommendations in this report,
including hiring a Captain.

Is the East Palo Alto Police Department following recommendations
of the independent consultant hired to guide the department in its efforts
to improve its hiring, firing, recruitment, promotional, disciplinary
and training practices and to improve its performance and its image?

In the past the Grand Jury investigated the East Palo Alto Police Department
(EPAPD) in response to complaints from citizens of that city. It found
a department ill qualified to deal with uncontrolled drug dealing, street
crimes and drive-by shootings. Assistance from adjoining law enforcement
agencies, California Highway Patrol and the San Mateo County Sheriff's
Office (Sheriff) was necessary to assist EPAPD in managing crime and violence
in its jurisdiction.

Media coverage of the Police Department's problems caused a serious decline
in the department's morale and public image. With the decline of the image
of the City of East Palo Alto (City) as a whole, established businesses
were anxious to leave and new businesses were reluctant to come to the
City. The tax base declined further. The City seemed to be in a downward
spiral.

In 2000 the City Council engaged a consultancy, PSComm, LLC of Hayward,
California, to study the Police Department and make recommendations to
improve the performance of the department. The consultancy issued an assessment
of the department in July of that year. The assessment included 71 specific
recommendations suggesting improvements in management and supervisory
accountability, human resources, workplace environment, technology infrastructure
and utilization, training, community policing and problem solving and
crime reduction strategies.

The Grand Jury studied the report, "Policing East Palo Alto - the
Organizational Assessment," issued by PSComm, LLC (PSComm) and investigated
how the City and EPAPD responded to the recommendations in the areas of
hiring, firing, recruitment, promotional, disciplinary and training practices.
During the investigation the Grand Jury evaluated personnel records and
policies regarding training and performance, reviewed the Memorandum of
Understanding between the City and the East Palo Alto Police Officers
Association, and researched the San Mateo County and East Palo Alto crime
statistics from the California Department of Justice. The Grand Jury conducted
interviews with PSComm, now Joseph Brann & Associates, LLC (Brann
& Associates), and with the City Management.

Violent crime continues to be a problem in East Palo Alto.
The California Crime Index calculated by the California Department of
Justice reports that in 2002 while the City of East Palo Alto had its
lowest crime rate index since 1995, it also had the fourth highest crime
rate in San Mateo County. In addition it led all cities in the County
in the number of homicides and robberies in 2002, and in 2003 reached
its highest homicide level since 1997. Statistical charts of violent crimes
in East Palo Alto over the last ten years show spikes in various years,
different by type of crime. No real trend line can be drawn.

The temporary improvement in the East Palo Alto crime rate 1999 - 2002
could be attributed to the efforts of all assisting law enforcement agencies,
the efforts of citizens' watch groups, and the changing demographics over
the last ten years that has seen some of the criminal element of the population
migrate to other areas. Today residents are dissatisfied with the renewed
resurgence of crime and vow to "do whatever it takes to keep the community
from reverting to those dark days . . .1"
in 1992 when East Palo Alto was the per capita murder capital of the country.
Results of a survey of East Palo Alto citizens commissioned by One East
Palo Alto Neighborhood Improvement Association and conducted by Empowerment
Research dated March 2004 reveals the following public views:

A significant number of residents believe that neighborhood coalitions
are effective in addressing crime issues and a third of the community
believes the police services are below average.

Many Police Department improvement recommendations from the consultant
are still not implemented.

In the Management and Supervisory Accountability section of its assessment
of EPAPD, PSComm cites the following that illustrate the poor condition
of the department in July 2000:

There is a lack of an experienced or skilled management staff.

There is a Department-wide failure to conduct performance evaluations.

Roles and expectations of department staff are unclear.

There is an absence of a training and professional development strategy.

Discipline is not delivered in a consistent and timely manner.

There is a lack of recognition and/or rewards for outstanding performance.

Staffing levels are critically low.

The City does not offer an adequate or competitive compensation package.

EPAPD's hiring criteria and employment standards need to be strengthened.

The significant recommendations made by PSComm involved:

Immediate attention to filling critical vacancies, including creation
of a new Captain's position;

Significant improvement in the compensation and benefits package;

Standards necessary for suitability for employment, training and personnel
evaluations;

The necessity of weekly management meetings.

The detailed recommendations made by PSComm in these areas are included
in Attachment A.

In September 2001 Brann and Associates issued a progress report on the
implementation of recommendations from the PSComm organizational assessment
of EPAPD. The progress report cites improvement in some areas and no progress
in other areas. Relative to Management and Supervisory

Accountability, it notes that a variety of efforts had been launched
to improve the knowledge, skills and abilities of the managers and supervisors,
and to ensure adequate managerial oversight of operations. Training standards
had been developed, but the training guide had not been updated, and only
management employees were receiving training. Ongoing staff shortages
were still a problem, but the compensation and benefits package was improved,
and hiring criteria were established.

In March 2003 Brann & Associates issued an update to the progress
report noting areas in which no progress had been made and areas in which
"back sliding" occurred where progress had been seen at the
time of the first progress report. In the area of Management and Supervisory
Accountability the report commended management and supervision of resources
and personnel especially in the patrol arena. While there was progress
in development of job skills, more training actions are necessary in order
for management to be effective. Initially there was improvement in completing
performance evaluations and dealing with disciplinary actions in a timely
manner; however, management had declined in their follow-through.

The quality of the force remains questionable.
For years the City, hampered by a small tax base, did not offer a competitive
salary and benefits package to attract qualified officers. The Grand Jury
was told that in the past the City had often hired persons who were not
considered qualified by other police departments. Candidates were hired
who had been discharged by other departments or who had previously been
allowed to resign in order to avoid disciplinary action. Large sums of
money have been paid to settle lawsuits because of the inappropriate actions
of some officers.

A review of the personnel records provided by EPAPD2
for its current 36 sworn officers indicates that as late as December 2002
the department continued to hire officers discharged from other police
departments and officers who have large gaps in their police work experience.
There are four officers currently on the payroll that had been discharged
from one or more of their previous police jobs, including one later promoted
to lieutenant by EPAPD. There are three officers currently on the payroll
that had less than a year's experience when they resigned from a previous
police job, and their record shows no further police work for several
years prior to being hired by EPAPD. In addition to the gap in police
work experience, three of the officers had no training for three and a
half years when hired by EPAPD.

Exhibit 1 - Hiring Information

Officer

Previous Police Employment

Reason for Separation

Date Hired by EPAPD

Gap in Police Work Experience

A

PD (5 years 6 months)1990

Discharged

1990

2 years

B

PD-1 (4 months)1979

Resigned

1986

3 years 6 months

PD-2 (8 months)1982

Discharged

C

PD (9 months)1998

Resigned

2000

1 year 5 months

D

PD (4 months)1992

Resigned

2000

7 years 6 months

E

PD (1 year)1997

Resigned

2000

3 years

F

PD-1 (2 years 4 months)1994

Resigned

2001

2 years 4 months

PD-2 (3 years)1997PD-2
(1 year 7 months)1999

Discharged
Discharged

2000

3 years

G

SO* (4 months)2001

Discharged

2002

1 year 3months

H

SO* (days)1997

Unknown

2003

5 years 2 months

*A Sheriff's Office

California Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) offers training
required by law for peace officer qualification and ongoing employment.
POST awards professional certificates to recognize peace officer achievement
and proficiency. The Basic Certificate is awarded to currently employed
full-time peace officers of a POST-participating agency who have satisfactorily
completed the prerequisite Basic Course requirement and the employing
agency's probationary period. Other certificates are Intermediate, Advanced,
Supervisory, Management, Executive, Public Safety Dispatch, Records Supervisor,
and Reserve Officer. There are only 11 officers on the force, including
the Police Chief, who have more than the Basic Certificate. There are
two officers whose records indicate they have been assigned full-time
peace officer positions, but have never taken the Regular Basic Training
Course. They have taken some reserve training modules.

POST regulations require continuing education for the purpose of maintaining,
updating, expanding, and/or enhancing an individual's knowledge and/or
skills. It is training which exceeds the training required to meet or
requalify entry-level minimum standards. POST regulations state that every
peace officer must satisfactorily complete the Continuing Professional
Training (CPT) requirement of 24 or more hours of training every two years.
For all police officers below the rank of middle management that means
two years from the completion date of the Regular Basic Training Course;
for middle management and above it is based on date appointed or July
1, 2000, whichever is later; for reserve officers it is based on date
appointed or July 1, 1995 (Level I Reserve Officer) and July1, 1999 (Level
II Reserve Officer) whichever is later.

Review of the training records provided by EPAPD indicate that 3 11 officers
did not satisfy their most recent full two-year period CPT requirements.
Another five5 officers did not meet the CPT requirements in the previous
period, but have met the requirement for the current period.

As of January 1, 2002 all police officers below middle management are
required to complete 12 hours of Perishable Skills courses (three modules,
a minimum of four hours each) and two hours of Communications training
in each two-year period as part of CPT. Only one officer has met this
criteria by taking all modules.

Records provided showed another nine officers or 25% of the force with
zero for the number of POST certificates (or no record was available)
indicating they have yet to meet the criteria for a Basic Certificate
from POST. Two of these had no additional training since graduating
from police training in 2001. According to POST criteria, those officers
with no certificates should be newer employees who have graduated from
a POST-certified police training program and are currently on new hire
probation, or are not full-time employees. According to the City Personnel
Policies and Procedures, a police recruit is on probation for 18 months.
A lateral and prior service police officer is on probation for 12 months.

Exhibit 3 - Probation Period

Officer

Date Compl.

BasicTraining

Date Hired by EPAPD

Date of Basic Certificate

Time on Probation

D

1992

2000

3/03

2 years 10 months

P

2001

2002

none

2 years 2 months

Q

2002

2002

none

1 year 8 months

R

2002

2002

none

1 year 8 months

Three officer recruits have been on the force longer than 18 months,
but have no POST certificate noted. One of these has been on the force
over two years. Records also indicate an officer appeared to be on probation
nearly three years before receiving the Basic Certificate.

POST also encourages law enforcement agencies to participate in its agency
program by agreeing to abide by the standards established by POST. The
more than 600 agencies in the POST program are eligible to receive the
Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training's services and benefits,
such as job-related assessment tools, research into improved officer selection
standards, management counseling services, the development of new training
courses, reimbursement for training, and quality leadership training programs.
If it appears a department fails to adhere to the regulations, it may
be deemed ineligible to receive these services and benefits. EPAPD is
a participating agency.

The overall quality of the force remains low primarily due to lack of
a professional development plan, training, and a performance assessment
plan with equitable standards for progressive discipline. Upward mobility
of officers is blocked by their unwillingness to seek required training
independently. Some officers choose to undergo only the minimum training
required to maintain the POST Basic Certificate.

Mentoring and management staff development in general is neglected.
EPAPD does not have its own detective division, which normally requires
more highly trained personnel. The detective function in East Palo Alto
is provided by the Sheriff. The Grand Jury was advised that the only current
mentoring activity is rotation of some of the department's better officers
through temporary assignments working with the Sheriff's detectives to
build some detective experience on the force.

There is no agreement for jointly developed goals and objectives between
officers and supervisors. Performance evaluations are not current for
many of the managers. The department was unable to provide any evidence
to the Grand Jury that an evaluation of the Police Chief's performance
had been completed in the last five years. There is little evidence that
all personnel had received annual written performance evaluations. This
is in violation of City personnel policies and the agreement with the
police officers' union. The City Personnel Policies and Procedures clearly
define the requirement for performance evaluations every twelve months
of actual service, and upon termination of service. All performance evaluations
are to be forwarded to the Personnel Office. The forms currently used
for performance evaluations are outdated, inconsistent with current procedures
and do not meet the department's needs.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the City and the East Palo
Alto Police Officers Association states, "Upon completion of twelve months
of actual initial or promotional probationary service, after receiving
a satisfactory performance evaluation, a merit increase . . . shall be
granted." It continues that each twelve months of actual service thereafter,
"each employee receiving a satisfactory performance evaluation shall receive
a merit increase."

The MOU also establishes salary adjustments for Intermediate and Advanced
Certificates from POST, and longevity pay for officers with ten years
continuous service with the City as a motivation to improve professionalism
and stability of the force.

The leadership of EPAPD does not enforce policies consistently.
The Police Chief has been in this position since 1994 working under an
employment contract, and reports to the City Manager. During the past
six years the City had several acting, appointed, or contract City Managers.
The Police Chief operated semi-autonomously without effective oversight,
and some questionable managerial decisions were made during this period.

The Police Chief's handling of personnel matters presents numerous questions
relative to the fairness and consistent application of disciplinary action
in the department.

An officer of EPAPD continues to work at headquarters while under felony
indictment in Santa Clara County for activities prior to being employed
by EPAPD. When notified of the indictment of one of his officers, the
Police Chief sought advice from the City Attorney regarding the question
of the officer's continued employment. The Police Chief was provided three
alternatives by counsel:

1. Put the indicted officer on administrative leave with pay.

2. Seek termination of the officer.

3. Keep the officer on the job in some non-sensitive position.

Since EPAPD is experiencing a shortage of personnel and limited budget,
the Police Chief opted to assign the officer to work in the office at
EPAPD headquarters. The Grand Jury was advised that it is common practice
in law enforcement and the standing practice of this Police Chief in the
past, to relieve an accused officer from duty immediately when the mere
allegation of wrongdoing by a sworn officer surfaces. The accused officer
usually remains on administrative leave pending resolution of the charges.
Objections from the community to the Police Chief's decision to keep this
officer on-the-job were reported in the local press.

This action raises the question whether another accused officer could
have a reasonable expectation of similar treatment. However, the Police
Chief handled a subsequent disciplinary matter quite differently. It was
recently reported in the local press that a sergeant of EPAPD was placed
on paid administrative leave pending the results of an internal investigation
of inappropriate police behavior, which was estimated to take at least
two weeks.

In a different instance the Police Chief followed the hiring criteria
recommended by the consultant. An officer who was fired for cause sued
the City for wrongful termination, and was ordered reinstated. The reinstatement
is on hold since the officer allowed his POST certification to lapse.
Before being reinstated the Police Chief has required the officer be POST
re-certified by the State of California and pass specified physical and
mental suitability examinations.

A leadership succession plan is not being followed. The consultant
recommended in 2000 that immediate attention be given to creating and
filling a Captain's position. The Grand Jury was advised the current pool
of officers in the department offers no qualified candidates for possible
replacement of the current Police Chief. The Grand Jury was led to believe
the new Captain's position had a written job description and a requisition
had been issued with requirements for a college degree that would preclude
any current EPAPD officers from qualifying for that position. It seemed
that the interviewing of external candidates was about to commence. Neither
has taken place. The Grand Jury learned the personnel department has no
such job description or requisition and that the City intends to hire
a Human Resources Director before hiring a Police Captain.

The search to fill this position has not been given top priority. Funding
for this position is the first cut volunteered by the Police Chief when
budget cuts are necessary. There has been little pressure from the City
Council or City Manager to fill the position.

The drug dealing, violent crime and drive-by shootings that were commonplace
in East Palo Alto several years ago have declined somewhat, but remain
at a critical level. Assistance from adjoining police departments, California
Highway Patrol and the Sheriff has been and continues to be helpful
to EPAPD in suppressing the drug dealing and the resultant violence.
With the decline in drug trafficking the community has attracted new
businesses and tax revenues have increased. Now the City is better able
to provide an attractive salary and benefits package and should be able
to raise the requirements and qualifications for new hires for the department.

Violence is creeping upward again. The crime rate in the City continues
to be a primary issue of the citizens who have voiced their concern
in the past to the local press blaming the Chief of Police's inability
to effectively manage the department and appropriately discipline his
staff. If the City Council and the Police Chief had been more diligent
in implementing all of the PSComm recommendations from July 2000, it
is likely the department would have been better equipped to control
the crime level.

The EPAPD must upgrade the qualifications of its present personnel.
The Police Chief continues to hire officers who have been discharged
from other law enforcement agencies. Nearly half of the force has lapsed
in meeting CPT ongoing requirements in the last five years; all but
one have failed to meet the CPT specific course requirements mandated
as of January 1, 2002; 25% of the force has not received basic certification;
and management seems uninterested in enforcing training standards. If
the POST Commission finds that EPAPD is not meeting regulations regarding
Continuing Professional Training, it is possible EPAPD would no longer
be eligible for training cost reimbursement.

Incentive pay for Intermediate and Advanced POST Certificates seems
to be ineffective in stimulating the force to seek advanced credentials.

Training records indicate that either the Basic Certificates from POST
have not been issued once a probation period is met, or that officers
remain on probation longer than required. It is not clear whether officers
are being kept on probation longer because of problems with performance
or that the EPAPD does not update personnel records accurately and in
a timely manner.

Merit increases are to be awarded only if a satisfactory performance
evaluation has been filed. Current performance evaluations could not
be located for many personnel. Merit increases are being awarded without
documented performance evaluations being presented to the employees
and filed with their personnel records.

The current Police Chief is ineffective in implementing the Management
and Supervisory Accountability recommendations made by the consultant.

The actions of the Police Chief lack consistency in how standards are
applied and procedures are followed. This vacillation can cause uncertainty
among employees, leading to morale issues. The perception in the department
that the Police Chief shows favoritism when taking disciplinary action
can further erode respect from the officers.

1. The City Council should aggressively
seek qualified candidates for the budgeted Police Captain's position and
fill it within 90 days with someone who has demonstrated leadership and
motivational skills, and has potential to succeed the current Police Chief.

2.
The City Council should ensure that adequate financial resources and
staff are allocated to enable the East Palo Alto Police Department to
fully implement the recommendations of the organizational assessment
provided by PSComm, LLC/Joseph Brann and Associates, LLC.

3.
By August 1, 2004 the City Council should provide the Grand Jury current
status and completion date or targeted completion date for all Management
and Supervisory Accountability recommendations made by PSComm for improvement
of the East Palo Alto Police Department listed on Attachment A.

4.
The City Council should require the Police Chief to implement the recommendations
on Attachment A and update the status of these recommendations and report
to the City Council quarterly.

5.
The City Council should immediately:

5.1 Develop and implement new policies,
and enforce existing policies for timely performance evaluations,
timely management of training requirements, and professional development
programs for all employees of the East Palo Alto Police Department.

5.2 Develop a new performance evaluation
form that enables the officers and management to monitor performance
consistent with agreed upon goals.

5.3 Direct the Police Chief that
merit increases will not be authorized without the appropriate written
performance evaluations.

5.4 Direct the Police Chief
that the bare minimum is not an acceptable level of training or proficiency
for the East Palo Alto Police Department, and require a plan for ongoing
continuation training for all sworn officers be developed and implemented
within 90 days.

5.5 Direct the Police Chief to schedule
training immediately for those officers who have not met the Continuing
Professional Training required in POST regulations.

5.6 Direct the Police Chief to update
all personnel training records immediately and ensure all POST certificates
earned have been awarded.

5.7 Hold the Police Chief accountable
for implementation of the recommendations on Attachment A; his decisions
and actions; and reflect his progress in an annual performance evaluation
properly recorded in his personnel record.

6.
By August 1, 2004 the City Council should provide the Grand Jury current
status and completion date or targeted completion date for all Management
and Supervisory Accountability recommendations made by PSComm for improvement
of the East Palo Alto Police Department listed on Attachment A.

7. The City Council should determine the "best practices"
regarding the continued employment of officers under felony indictment
or internal investigation and require that EPAPD follow those practices
consistently, fairly and without favoritism.

8. The City Council should require the Police Chief
to work with the East Palo Alto Police Officers' Association to adhere
to the following:

8.1 Ensure that any officer
returning to the department after a protracted absence from law enforcement:

Obtains re-certification in accordance with POST regulations.

Is current with all ongoing Continuing Professional
Training.

Passes all physical and mental evaluations by the
appropriate agencies for suitability for this assignment.

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target for Completion

1. Partner
with other agencies to obtain cost-effective management training
or seek training support from low or no-cost training providers
such as one of the California Regional Community Policing Institutes.

2.Develop
and implement a formalized mentoring program.

3. Provide day-to-day direction to acting and inexperienced
supervisors with immediate availability to managers who can coach
and assist them.

4.Consider
adding a third lieutenant position or have an experienced sergeant
assume some of the administrative functions currently handled
by lieutenants.

5.Provide
training in advance for all individuals assigned any “acting”
supervisory or management position.

6.Establish
a pool of suitable candidates for “acting” supervisory or management
positions.

7. The Police Chief should conduct regularly scheduled
weekly or bi-weekly meetings with the management staff to address
and deal with recurring and evolving management issues. The focus
of these meetings should include individual and management group
accountability for the Department’s goals and priorities, day-to-day
operations, and personnel issues (including training, employee
development and discipline).

8. Periodic employee meetings should also be scheduled
to improve internal communications by discussing pertinent issues,
reinforcing the vision for the department and allowing employees
the opportunity to provide feedback and present questions.

9.Create
a formal, yet simple, monitoring system to document and track
the status of organizational priorities and special tasks assigned
to management personnel.

11.Managers
and supervisors should be involved in budget development and held
accountable for sound management of resources.

There
is a Department-wide failure to conduct performance evaluations.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target for Completion

12. The annual “State of the Department” report should
include budget and financial performance data. Future budget
submissions should identify organizational performance measures
associated with departmental goals and priorities.

13.Managers and supervisors, including the
City Manager and Police Chief, should be held accountable for
conducting timely, thorough and meaningful performance evaluations.

14. Performance evaluations should reflect the knowledge,
skills and abilities necessary to support a community policing/problem
solving culture, and should include performance measures related
to the department’s strategic priorities and vision.

15.The
performance evaluations of managers and supervisors should include
an assessment/measurement of their success in coaching and developing
their subordinates.

There
is a lack of clarity in the roles and expectations of Department
staff.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target for Completion

16. The Administrative Services/Personnel Department
should update the job descriptions for all sworn officers and
civilian positions.

17. Re-evaluate the roles and responsibilities of Department
managers and supervisors, designating specific projects and expectations.

There
is an absence of a training and professional development strategy.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target for Completion

18.Create
an organizational training strategy that supports the direction
and priorities of the Department.

19.Produce
a professional development plan for each position in the Department.

Discipline
is not delivered in a consistent and timely manner.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target for Completion

20.Standards
governing the timely investigation, processing and disposition
of internal investigations and disciplinary issues should be established
immediately.

21.Adherence
to these standards should be incorporated in the new position
descriptions and performance evaluations for all managers and
supervisors.

22.Managers
must be held accountable for keeping parties informed of the status
of internal investigations and meeting the timelines established
for such investigations.

There
is a lack of recognition and/or rewards for outstanding performance.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target for Completion

23. The Police and Personnel Department management
teams should collaborate on the design of a formalized commendation,
recognition and reward system.

Staffing
levels are critically low.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target for Completion

24. The Police Chief, working with the Personnel Department,
should immediately develop an aggressive action plan and timeline
to fill existing sworn and civilian vacancies. I16T14:55">n addition, retention
strategies should be developed to address the long-standing turnover
challenges.

25.The
Police and Personnel Departments should provide weekly progress
reports to the City Manager on the Department’s staffing and their
hiring activities until such time as the actual staffing reaches
a level that is at or above 95% of the authorized staffing level.

26. Exit interviews should be conducted and documented
on all employees who leave the organization.

27. Employees should be encouraged to participate in
recruiting new employees. Rewards and incentives ought to be
considered to induce them to participate.

28.Recruitment
and marketing efforts should be undertaken that recognize and
promote appealing aspects of police service in the East Palo Alto
Police Department.

29.Consideration
should be given to expanding the number and use of Community Service
Officer (CSO) positions.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target for Completion

30.Ongoing
staffing vacancies and existing job assignments should be examined
for the potential to have those duties fulfilled through other
means.

The
City does not offer an adequate or competitive compensation package.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target
for Completion

31.The
compensation and benefits package must be made a top priority.

32.Reassess
the utilization of civilians and volunteers within the Department.

EPAPD’s
hiring criteria and employment standards need to be strengthened.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target
for Completion

33.Management
staff in the Police and Administrative Service Departments should
jointly develop hiring criteria and employment standards that
reflect the values and expectations of EPAPD.

Recommendation

Date Status Provided

Completion Date or Target
for Completion

34.Both
the Police and Personnel Departments should be held accountable
for ensuring all hiring/screening criteria are diligently and
consistently applied in the course of screening candidates for
employment with EPAPD.

35.The
psychological evaluation process for police officer candidates
should specifically assess the applicant’s ability to function
effectively in serving the diverse community that constitutes
East Palo Alto.

36. Standards should be established concerning the
suitability/eligibility of former employees for re-hire along
with lateral transfer candidates. These standards should specifically
address the candidate’s prior work experience, performance and
adherence to professional standards of conduct

37.Any
supervisor or manager who has a role in hiring employees should
be thoroughly trained in and held responsible for the application
of all hiring criteria and employment standards.

38. The vacant Personnel Analyst position in the Personnel
Department should be filled as soon as possible. That position
should then be given the authority and the responsibility for
coordinating police testing and hiring.